Bed server



June 1967 M. J. DO COUTO r 3,323,149

BED SERVER Filed Feb. 7, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Manuel J DoCaufo v June 6, 1967 M. J. DO COUTO 3,323,149

BED SERVER Filed Feb. 7, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENT OR Manuel J 00Cou/0 United States Patent 3,323,149 BED SERVER Manuel .I. Do Couto, 10 Powderhouse Terrace, Somerville, Mass. 02143 Filed Feb. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 525,742 3 Claims. (Cl. -327) This invention relates to furniture, and more particularly to that piece of furniture known as a bed server, or table, since it is a portable device having a folding table top and a back rest for use by people who must take their meals in a sitting position in bed, although it can also be used on the ground at the beach or the like, as will be understood upon examination of the appended drawing.

A search for a device of this nature will reveal that the bed servers available are generally complicated devices of limited adjustment.

It is therefore the main object of this invention to provide a bed server that has a minimum number of parts so connected together as to give a maximum adjustment with little or no chance of accidently locking or otherwise becoming inoperative.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bed server of the character described that can be made of wood, light weight metal, or a combination of the two just-mentioned materials.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bed server that can be set up in a minimum of time by nearly anyone and then removed from the bed or the like and folded into a compact package for transportation or storage when not in use.

Other and further objects of this invention will become apparent as the description of the invention proceeds.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of this invention set up and ready for use.

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIGURE 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of this invention in a folded position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of this invention in a folded position.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of this invention taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

Looking first at FIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that this invention consists of a pair of spaced and parallel L-shaped members connected together at one end by the cross-member 11. A back member 12, which is generally rectangular in shape, has its lower end hinged to the two aforesaid L-shape members 10 at 13 by the same pin that also hingedly secures the lower end of the bar 14 to the aforesaid L-shaped member 10. It is understood that there are two of the just-mentioned bars 14, one on each side of the invention as will be understood upon examination of the already mentioned FIGURE 1 of the drawings. The upper end of the aforesaid bars 14 are hingedly secured to the rear end of the arm rest 15, the front end of which also hingedly supports the rectangular member 16 which can be used as either a table or a support for a tray or the like. The front end of each one of the aforesaid arms of this invention is hinged at 17 to one end of the bar 18 which has its lower end hinged at 19 to the aforesaid L-shaped members 10, thereby permitting the arms of this invention to be folded back and down flat against the L-shaped members 10 which are cut-out at 20 to receive the hinge connection at 17 of the invention, as one can clearly see by looking at FIGURES l, 3 and 4 of the drawings. An angularly disposed back brace 21, that is hinged in the center, is hingedly secured to each side of both the aforesaid L-shaped members 10 and the back 12. Only 3,323,149 Patented June 6, 1967 ice one of the just-mentioned back braces is visible in the drawings and that being in FIGURE 1.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have herein described the construction of my invention of a bed server. The method of folding and unfolding is self-explanatory when one examines all five figures of the accompanying drawing, with the exception of the fact that it should now be noted that the hinge 22 of the rectangular member 16 is itself pivotally secured at 23 to the outside of the aforesaid arm 15 in order that the rectangular member 16 may be swung upward in the vertical position shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. The purpose of the hinge, of course, is to permit the aforesaid member 16 to be raised to the position. shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 2 of the drawings in order that one may more easily have this novel invention placed in position for use.

It is to be understood that this invention is subject to any and all changes and/ or modifications that may fall within the scope and intent of the appended claims.

What I now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bed server of the character described comprising:

a substantially U-shaped base member;

a rectangularly-shaped back member having adjacent corners hingedly connected between the leg portions of the U-shaped base member at points substantially spaced along the length thereof, away from the open end of the U-shaped base member;

a pair of arm rests having respective ends thereof hingedly connected to opposite sides of the back rest;

the other end of one of the arm rests hingedly supporting one end of a rectangular cross member;

the other end of the cross member normally resting on the other end of the other arm rest;

a pair of brace members connected between each side of the back member and respective leg portions of the base member extending behind the back member to hingedly support the back member at an angle with respect to the base member, and

a pair of supporting members hingedly connected be tween the other ends of each arm rest and the leg portions of the U-shaped lower base member, adjacent the open end thereof, to always maintain the arm rests above and parallel to the leg portions whereby when said back member is folded flat between the two leg portions, the rectangular member will be above and parallel to one of the legs of the U-shaped base member.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the leg portions of the U-shaped base member are substantially L-shaped and the connecting portion between the two leg portions is at right angles to the L-shaped leg portions.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the back member and the pair of support members are pivotly secured to the vertical section of the L-shaped portions;

the vertical sections of the L-shaped leg portions having a notch therein to accept the hinges at the connection of the arm rests and the supporting members when the bed server is folded fiat.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BED SERVER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING: A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED BASE MEMBER; A RECTANGULARLY-SHPAED BACK MEMBER HAVING ADJACENT CORNERS HINGEDLY CONNECTED BETWEEN THE LEG PORTIONS OF THE U-SHAPED BASE MEMBER AT POINTS SUBSTANTIALLY SPACED ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF, AWAY FROM THE OPEN END OF THE U-SHAPED BASE MEMBER; A PAIR OF ARM RESTS HAVING RESDPECTIVE ENDS THEREOF HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE BACK REST; THE OTHER END OF ONE OF THE ARM RESTS HINGEDLY SUPPORTING ONE END OF A RECTANGULAR CROSS MEMBER; THE OTHER END OF THE CROSS MEMBER NORMALLY RESTING ON THE OTHER END OF THE OTHER ARM REST; A PAIR OF BRACE MEMBERS CONNECTED BETWEEN EACH SIDE OF THE BACK MEMBER AND RESPECTIVE LEG PORTIONS OF THE 